MySpace.com is updating its security measures so minors under 18 will be given their own private section.

The section is being introduced because of a bill being pushed through Congress that wants to pressure sites into boosting Internet security.

The bill, which would affect social-networking sites like MySpace, would involve a filtering system in libraries and schools to protect minors from online predators.

The bill, called Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006, is a revision of the Communication Act of 1934. It would require schools and public libraries to add a filtering technology that would prevent minors from accessing certain chat rooms and Web sites like MySpace.

Josh Evans, a sophomore at East Lansing High School, said he is against the government intervening and deciding what can be seen in schools and libraries but agrees that security measures need to be taken.

"It should be up to the company to what the restrictions should be," Evans said. "I still think there should be a certain age that allows kids to use the site, like 13 or 14."

The site already prohibits children 13 and under from setting up accounts, and displays only partial profiles for those registered as 14 or 15 years old unless the person viewing the profile is already on the teen's list of friends.

Under the changes, expected to be announced Wednesday, and taking effect next week, MySpace users who are 18 or older could no longer request to be on the friend list of a 14- or 15-year-old unless they already know the youth's e-mail address or full name.

MySpace representatives could not be reached for comment.

Jeff Urbanchuk, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Michael G. Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., who introduced the bill, said they were happy MySpace took the initiative to improve its security but added that they would like to see more improvements.

"We applaud MySpace for acknowledging the problem," Urbanchuk said. "We still would like to see something done about the age verification system."

That is the one problem that MySpace still would have to assess.

Users under 18 can still make contact with those older than 18, and MySpace has no mechanism for verifying that they submit their true age when registering. That means adults can sign up as teens and request to join a 14-year-old user's list of friends, which would enable the full profiles.

Urbanchuk said they are still going to be pushing for age verification.

"We are still guiding our legislation through the House and hope MySpace works to make their site safer as well," he said. "They have the talent to do so, and they have the technical knowledge to do so, as well, and we hope they are able to follow through with these actions."

Even though there are still problems to be handled, local residents and officials are happy that MySpace made these restrictions on its own rather waiting for the bill to force them to make the changes.

Gretchen Couraud, the executive director of the Michigan Library Association, does see the danger in these chat rooms but believes that they can be helpful to children. She says the way to prevent these dangers is to inform children of them.

"I think people are interested in security, but the way to help these kids is to educate them about these threats," Couraud said. "We need to be very careful with security measures and the limitations we put on these sites because these things can be very helpful, too."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Justin Kroll can be reached at krolljus@msu.edu.